[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-136":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270144,4432,"Chapter 136: Establishing Rules","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-136",136,"\u003Cp>In the year Jia Chen, during the Yi Hai month, on the Wu Yin day, a disciple of the Mingguang Sect openly entered homes to bully men and oppress women; Captain Tan Hu led troops to punish the ruffian by castration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the year Jia Chen, during the Yi Hai month, on the Geng Yin day, the Blood Tiger Gang smuggled people; Captain Tan Hu led troops to escort them to the government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the year Jia Chen, during the Yi Hai month, on the Wu Xu day, it was rumored that Qingfeng Villa colluded with the Salt Gang; Captain Tan Hu led troops to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui flipped through the patrol log.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more he read, the more stunned he became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu was truly a fierce general—he had stormed through every dragon’s den and tiger’s lair in Qinghe City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he still hadn’t died!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either he was bold and meticulous, or Ning Zhongtian had cleaned up his mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui suddenly understood why Ning Zhongtian had assigned him to the Running Tiger Cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Tan Hu kept playing like this, he might one day trigger a disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qinghe City was full of hidden tigers and dragons; some people even Ning Zhongtian dared not offend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial court was powerful, but its power lay in its size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was the imperial court?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one was the imperial court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, most officials still needed to maintain decent relations with the martial world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Annan Army frequently interacted with local martial factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word “zhen” in Annan Zhen meant pacification—it aimed to make these martial factions serve the court faithfully, not to slaughter them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, dealing with martial sects required great skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must not grow too distant, nor be dragged under by them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This balance had to be mastered precisely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui closed the patrol log and rubbed his temples, head aching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely no sense of discipline!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was a Mingguang Sect disciple bullying men and oppressing women a matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But could you just castrate him outright? If you truly wanted to castrate him, couldn’t you find a secluded place? Why publicly humiliate the Mingguang Sect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no face left to save, the Mingguang Sect would inevitably turn hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard the Mingguang Sect had a sixth-rank vice-sect master stationed in Qinghe—Ning Zhongtian must have smoothed it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Qingfeng Villa colluding with the Salt Gang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you truly meant to act, just storm the Salt Gang and wipe them out. Why target Qingfeng Villa and provoke them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t you know the young master of Qingfeng Villa passed the imperial examination as third-place Metropolitan Graduate and now serves as a scholar in the Hanlin Academy? He’ll emerge as a high-ranking official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Blood Tiger Gang—they deserved to die!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui quickly categorized the troubles Tan Hu had caused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broadly speaking, they fell into two types: those needing repair and those not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The criterion was even simpler:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Tan Hu could defeat and those he couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mingguang Sect and Qingfeng Villa clearly belonged to the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once categorized, matters became much easier; Li Rui realized that although Tan Hu was reckless, he was truly formidable—very few seventh-rank cultivators could match him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stemmed from his innate Diamond Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless facing a Liujin expert who had condensed qi into form, Tan Hu crushed them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Ning Zhongtian still treasured Tan Hu despite all the trouble he caused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such men were rare—used well, they became invaluable fierce generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finished sorting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was deep night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui set down his brush, clarified his thoughts—what came next would be far easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao He, go rest. Tomorrow, come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang He had been grinding ink beside Li Rui the whole time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui suddenly remembered: “By the way, don’t tell General Tan Hu about this yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang He, already at the door, turned back: “Yes, Hall Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui stepped into the courtyard and saw Yang Yong and Wang Zhao chatting under a tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Rui return,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong rose: “The dishes aren’t cold yet. If you didn’t come, Xiao Zhao and I would’ve eaten already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laughing, he hurried into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, he brought out four dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui’s heart warmed: “If I’m not back by You Hour, eat without me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Zhao smiled warmly: “Master, it’s fine—we’re not hungry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui invited them to sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he return to his room, perform a set of fist forms to digest his meal, then sat cross-legged on the mat and began circulating qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lived this long,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui believed the most important thing was habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Details determine success or failure—and even lifespan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small things seem insignificant, yet accumulated over time, they yield tremendous effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a child, he thought elders’ rules were tedious and pointless; only in old age did he understand their wisdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hour later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui completed thirty-six circuits of the Dragon Soaring Through Nine Skies diagram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he pulled the quilt over himself and slept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui rose early and trained in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held a wooden sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His form glided like a dragon through the yard, steps light, blade moving with his body—unpredictable, impossible to defend against.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since creating the Changchun Art, his swordplay had changed drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui switched back from heavy sword to light sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A return to simplicity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the legendary theories of light sword, heavy sword, wooden sword, and using all things as weapons, Li Rui had not yet reached that realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time to get a new sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the heavy sword leaning in the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his realm changed, his weapon naturally needed updating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Rui’s realm had grown too fast, accelerating the pace of weapon replacement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, this sword forged at the official workshop would have lasted a decade for an ordinary person. After finishing his sword practice,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong and Wang Zhao stepped out of the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Li, the congee is ready—just about to serve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong had grown accustomed to Li Rui’s daily fist and sword practice; as he spoke, he dashed into the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bowl of steaming meat congee was brought out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sprinkled generously with scallions—looked especially appetizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui hadn’t become extravagant with his status; he still ate simple congee every morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Food serves two purposes: to fill the stomach, and to nourish the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more precious the ingredient, the better it isn’t—eat seafood every meal and your stomach won’t improve, only gout will come; plain home cooking is far more comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the food in Li’s residence, though with extra meat, was far from luxurious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+book_bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even daily meat meals were considered the height of luxury in ordinary households.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the congee,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui picked up a standard Annan Army longsword, strapped it to his waist, and stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why he didn’t carry the heavy sword:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mainly because the person he was meeting today would find it improper to arrive with a back-sword; hanging the heavy sword at his waist would require pants too strong to bear it, and holding it in hand was worse—he’d be mistaken for a challenger coming to provoke a duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Running Tiger Cavalry’s camp was farther than the weapons depot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was only a tea’s walk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui soon arrived at the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He happened to see Tan Hu training several soldiers of the Running Tiger Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military training differed from martial cultivation; it focused more on coordinating formations to achieve combined strength, multiplying power far beyond mere numerical addition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu stood at the front, gripping a serpent spear about eight feet tall, equal to his height, while thirteen Running Tiger cavalrymen lined up in a single row behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The formation kept shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes forming a long snake, sometimes closing into a circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet every change flowed effortlessly, perfectly smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui slightly narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The key to a formation lies in the pivot point—the eye of the formation—Tan Hu. Tan Hu is a martial cultivator who has cultivated qi, using true qi to concentrate all their strength into one, circulating it among them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In essence,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the mystery of formations ultimately rests on the person at the pivot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At minimum, one must be at least a Sinew-Refining cultivator for the formation to work; otherwise, it’s merely a well-drilled ordinary army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here, with Tan Hu as the pivot, true qi flows rapidly through each man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the speed is fast enough, the enemy perceives every soldier as enhanced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When necessary,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu can gather all their blood and qi to boost his own combat power to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, the applications are countless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was not in a hurry; he simply stood aside, watching quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu had many flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He acted recklessly, impulsively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his strengths were equally clear: not only was his personal martial prowess undeniable, his skill in leading formations ranked among the best in Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had seen formations before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none as fluid as the Running Tiger Cavalry before him were rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu finally finished training. He turned to Li Rui: “Brother Li, want to spar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui shook his head: “No need, Brother Tan. I’m leaving town today—I’m taking Xiao He with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu grinned: “Xiao He, you go with Brother Li.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang He, hearing the order, happily ran toward Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui led Liang He out of the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stepped onto the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another scene entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qinghe had expanded more than fivefold since before; the old town had become merely a corner, while the new streets were far wider, rivaling even the prefectural capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was truly impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The establishment of a guard battalion and the construction of a new city had drawn many from Anning Prefecture and even Yunzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The population had more than quadrupled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedestrians bustled along the streets, carriages and horses filled the roads—a scene of prosperity. Rumor had it government tax revenues had surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui led Liang He straight down the newly built Zhuque Avenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuque Avenue was the main thoroughfare of Qinghe’s new city, running north to south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who owned storefronts or mansions along Zhuque Avenue were among the elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui finally stopped before a grand mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Green tiles and blue bricks described old homes; the new residences were mostly bright gray, elegant and dignified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive plaque hung above the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qingfeng Mountain Villa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui calmly led Liang He up the seven stone steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Halt! Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, two young men in dark blue short-sleeved martial attire appeared behind the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui chuckled: “Anning Guard patrol officer, Li Rui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those chosen as gatekeepers were sharp and perceptive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Li Rui was an Anning Guard officer, the young men instantly switched to smiling faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, Patrol Officer, please come in, please come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui and Liang He were courteously led into a courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small yard surrounded by green bamboo, serene yet bright; though not opulent, every detail revealed thoughtfulness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qingfeng Mountain Villa truly lives up to its reputation as a renowned family of Anning Prefecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially compared to some families in Qinghe, their depth was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely why Li Rui’s past-life self despised new money and favored old money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had just sat down,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>when a man’s voice called out: “Officer Li, congratulations!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1936,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","21ede4d4120ed6c041a19750eecd6271247d8d122405f363979b96186c4f64a3","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-137","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-135",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]